Daniel O'Donnell has revealed how he wrote a song about surviving cancer just a few months before wife Majella was diagnosed with the illness.
The singer wrote the song 'I'll See This Journey Through' in 2012 after being asked to get involved with the Relay for Life cancer charity.
Daniel said: “I had no real knowledge of Relay and a friend was able to fill me in on its fund-raising activities and how it raised awareness and contributed to research.”
The millionaire entertainer was getting into his bed one night when words came into his mind and the lyrics of a song began to surface.
He was never to know that the song was to become their own personal anthem just a few months later.
“Majella asked me what was I doing and I told her I was writing a song for Relay.
“And then in 2013, the song became our own journey,” Daniel recalls.
That was the year when Majella was diagnosed with breast cancer.
She got the all-clear in August of 2013 but only after a deeply trying time for herself, Daniel and the family.
Majella even managed to raise more than €600,000 for cancer research by having her head shaved live on the Late Late Show.
From then on, “I’ll See This Journey Through” became as much a personal song for the couple as it did the theme for all touched by the cancer journey.
“I suppose it’s about how some people don’t know what to say to people with cancer and how sometimes they say nothing and sometimes they say too much.”
Daniel sees the song as a tribute to all those who have come into contact with cancer, patients, survivors, and carers.
And with Daniel’s good friend, Marc Roberts, who represented Ireland at the Eurovision Song Contest in 1997, supplying the musical element to it, there was a hit on their hands.
This weekend Daniel and Marc will perform it together as part of the virtual Relay being staged this weekend.
Backed by the inspirational Survivors Choir, ‘I’ll See This Journey Through’ will form a key component of Relay 2021 which will feature a host of stars, both local and national, and the traditional events such as the Luminaria ceremony.
On Saturday evening a line-up of top country stars will be performing between the hours of 8pm. and 11pm while the Luminaria ceremony will also be staged virtually.
On Sunday morning, the Gospel Hour and Ecumenical Service will be held while Tommy Rosney will later in the day host a Relay country jamboree.
Over the past few months, thirty teams have been busy gathering money through various events while proceeds can also be donated to: https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/RelayForLife-Donegal
